Interview: Why is Super Omega 3 the best omega-3 supplement?

2021-10-06

What is it that makes the supplement Super Omega 3 so pure, stable and effective? Iren Stoknes, doctor of biotechnology and R&D Manager at Epax® for 13 years, shares the secrets behind its manufacture.

Conversations Heart Health

(You can also read the written transcription below the video)

Iren Stoknes : Hello everyone!

SuperSmart: Super Omega 3 is composed of a fish oil provided by Epax®. As the R&D manager of Epax®, can you explain what makes this oil so qualitative?

I. S.: The fish oil that we make is internationally recognized for its purity. Indeed, purity is a never-ending focus for Epax®: we remove environmental and oxidative impurities and go above and beyond industry standards in that effort.

We have developed a gentle and effective "in house" process for removal of pollutants and for concentration of the important omega3 fatty acids.

We avoid oxidation and monitor quality all the way through processing. With less than 1% oxygen concentration in critical production steps, we are able to halt the oxidation process in the oils, resulting in significantly improved smell and taste.

Our specifications not only meet, but surpass the requirements of the EU and US Pharmacopoeias, the Codex Alimentarius standard, the GOED Monograph, and IFOS 5-star rating standards.

Which fishes are in your famous fish oil? And what are your manufacturing processes?

I. S.: Anchovy is the main crude oil source for Epax®. When landed, the fish is processed into fishmeal and crude fish oil. The crude oil is then transported to our Aalesund facility by sea in order to minimize the CO2 footprint.

The first step of refining is purification or conversion which means removal of free fatty acids and environmental pollutants, and conversion of triglycerides to ethyl esters to facilitate concentration.

The second step is concentration, meaning thermal separation of ethyl esters by short path distillation to concentrate omega-3.

In the third step, we perform re-esterification of ethyl esters into triglyceride form by means of enzymes.

Finally, we perform what we call “polishing” meaning removal of stearin, oxidation products and heavy metals, before we add natural antioxidant and fill the product in nitrogen-blanketed drums.

What are the EPA and DHA dosages of the marine omega-3 concentrate, once finalized?

I. S.: Our minimum specification is 300 mg of EPA and 200 mg of DHA per gram of oil, which is approximately twice the EPA and DHA content of the crude oil.

Can you tell us about some Epax® labels and certifications ?

I. S.: Our production facility is cGMP certified and FDA inspected for the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) as well as approved by the Norwegian Medicines Agency.

We are also certified by Friend Of the Sea® (FOS), MarinTrust, and ISO 14001, which attests that we practice sustainable fishing and eco-friendly manufacturing.

Can you also remind us of the benefits provided by omega-3s?

I. S.: EPA and DHA are approved for several health claims by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

DHA is thus recognized to contribute to the maintenance of normal brain function, normal vision, and normal blood triglyceride levels. EPA and DHA, moreover, both participate to the normal function of the heart and to the maintenance of normal blood pressure.

DHA maternal intake, by the way, is known to contribute to the normal brain and eye development of the fetus and breastfed infants (1-3).

Many people around the world have been consuming SuperSmart's Super Omega 3 for years. What would you like to say to them?

I. S.: We are very happy that people like the products we make! And I will of course recommend people to carry on to consume the SuperSmart Super Omega 3. It's a very good investment for a healthy life!

References

EU Register of nutrition and health claims made on foods (v.3.6)
Ruxton C. Health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Nurs Stand. 2004 Aug 11-17;18(48):38-42. doi: 10.7748/ns2004.08.18.48.38.c3668. PMID: 15366399.
Schwalfenberg G. Omega-3 fatty acids: their beneficial role in cardiovascular health [published correction appears in Can Fam Physician. 2006 Aug;52:952]. Can Fam Physician. 2006;52(6):734-740.

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